📄 Help Doc: Contract Best Practices for Gym Owners
This guide outlines best practices for gym membership and program contracts, based on the Gym Lords’ recommended strategy. It includes legal tips (not legal advice), templates to model, and key contract elements that help prevent disputes, reduce cancellations, and support smooth member transitions from front-end offers to long-term memberships.
🧠 Key Takeaways
1. Always Use Written Agreements
Ensure every program—whether a front-end challenge or back-end membership—has its own signed agreement. Don’t miss signing a new contract when a prospect transitions from a front-end program (like a 6-week challenge) to a back-end membership.
2. Use the Right Agreement Type
You should have at least 3 different contracts:
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Front-End Program (Challenge or Transformation)
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Conversion to Long-Term Membership
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Direct Membership (no front-end program)
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(Optional) Class Pack or Session-Based Contract
Each contract should be tailored to the exact program it supports.
📑 Contract Best Practices
🔐 Initial Areas
Use initial boxes (places clients must sign or initial) for:
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Guarantees or refund policies
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Credit-forward offers (e.g., “$600 challenge fee applies to future membership”)
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Terms that could disqualify them from refunds or credits
💳 Billing Details
Clearly define:
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Total cost
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Billing amount (e.g., $49/week)
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Billing cadence (weekly, every 28 days, etc.)
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What happens after the term ends (e.g., auto-renewal terms)
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Clarify differences between PIF (Pay In Full) and EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer)
📋 Service Details
Include:
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Access level (e.g., number of classes, equipment usage)
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Program inclusions (e.g., coaching, nutrition)
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Non-refundable items
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Acknowledgement of what's included in the service
❌ Cancellation Policy
Make this explicit and in writing:
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Client must cancel in person—no email, text, or phone cancellations
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Include a 30-day notice clause (or one billing cycle)
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Require acknowledgment that charges during the cancellation period will not be disputed
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Opportunity for an exit conversation to save memberships and reduce churn
📎 Included Resources
You’ll find editable templates attached or linked near this video:
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✅ Sample Front-End Agreement
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✅ Sample Conversion Agreement (Back-End Offer)
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✅ Optional Direct Membership Template
🤖 BONUS: Use ChatGPT for Smart Drafting
In the next module, you’ll learn how to use ChatGPT interactively with a question-and-answer format to generate customized contracts using your gym’s unique offerings and policies.
🔒 Disclaimer
This document is not legal advice. Always consult with a licensed attorney before finalizing or using any contractual language.
Suggested Tags:
contracts, gym sales, front-end offers, membership agreement, billing, cancellation, trainer business, conversion, legal, ChatGPT for contracts